Life in a family circus

Huntingdon, England

Mr Fips' is a small, family run circus, who during their latest season, will travel the east of England until their season draws to a close in November.

They are a company of around 20 performers, all family and friends from the circus community. Their youngest member is 12 and their oldest is 75 years old. The troupe formed three years ago when Jan Erik Brenner and his wife Carolyn decided that they wanted to return the circus to the intimacy and magic of their childhood memories, and now play to audiences of between 100 and 500 adults and children.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

Trapeze artist Lidia Nicols, does her make-up before a show, in the tiny caravan that she shares with her son Angel, as they travel around England with Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014 .

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

The circus tent, known as the "Big Top," inside which Mr Fips' Wonder Circus present their show of clowns, jugglers, trapeze artists and dressage, April 7, 2014.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

Charlie the Clown played by 75-year-old Karl Brenner, currently the oldest working professional clown in the world, waits backstage, April 7, 2014.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

Circus trapeze and hula artists Jana Roberts and Lidia Nicols work in the cotton candy and popcorn stall during an interval at Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

A toy clown sits in a trailer belonging to Karl Brenner, 75, the oldest working professional clown, who performs with his son Jan Erik Brenner's company Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

Charlie the Clown played by 75-year-old Karl Brenner, waits backstage, April 7, 2014.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

Shoes belonging to Charlie the Clown are lined up in the trailer belonging to his alter-ego Karl Brenner, April 7, 2014.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

Jan Erik Brenner, in his costume as Mr. Fips the Clown, walks out to fix an ailing power generator, at the interval of Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

A shadow of the high wire act "Marco Polo" appears on the roof of the circus tent during Mr Fips' Wonder Circus' evening performance, April 7, 2014.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

Jan Erik Brenner, as Mr. Fips the Clown, larks about backstage during a performance of Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

A team of shetland ponies walk into the ring to perform as part of Mr Fips' Wonder Circus, April 7, 2014.

The Brenner family limits the ponies' act to a few minutes of running around the ring due to animal rights legislation on circuses.

Credit: Mary Turner/Getty Images

Huntingdon, England

Circus artist Josiah Rose rushes from the Big Top tent to fix a broken power generator during a performance, April 7, 2014.

Huntingdon, England

A crowd looks towards the ceiling of the circus tent as high-wire artist "Marco Polo" prepares to balance on a chair, with no safety net during Mr Fips' Wonder Circus' evening performance, April 7, 2014.